The plant world has its own version of the Oscars. Every year awards are given to a select number of plants. All America Selections tests new, unsold flowers and vegetables each year. The independent tests are conducted across North America by AAS judges. The AAS judges evaluate and score each entry. Only the entries with the highest scores will be considered for the prestigious AAS Award. Now let me introduce you to some recent recipients of this top honour.
| IMPATIENS F1 -- VICTORIAN ROSE |
"Victorian Rose" is the first impatiens with consistently semi-double flowers. The unique, distinct qualities of "Victorian Rose" are the semi-double blooms and the number of blooms. "Victorian Rose" flowers contain extra petals adding depth to each rose bloom. More importantly, the flowering capability exceeds other plants providing more colour. "Victorian Rose" plants can be covered with blooms. The old fashioned rose is a soft, muted colour which combines easily with other annuals. Gardeners can be assured of season-long performance due to the extensive testing conducted by AAS Trials. "Victorian Rose" will perform best in a shady garden location and adapt to any container. Like all impatiens, "Victorian Rose" needs little care in the garden, only sufficient water to provide abundant colour.
| PETUNIA F1 HYBRID -- FANTASY PINK MORN |
"Fantasy Pink Morn" begins a new class of petunias named "milliflora" meaning many small blooms. A "Fantasy Pink Morn" plant is about two thirds the size of a normal petunia. Flowers are 1 to 1 1/4 inches, in perfect scale with the smaller plant size. This new "Fantasy Pink Morn" plant size adapts to all the containers used for normal sized petunias and fits into smaller garden spaces. The compact habit means gardeners do not have to pinch or prune these petunia plants to have continuous flowering and garden colour. Free flowering throughout the growing season, "Fantasy Pink Morn" blooms are pink shading to creamy white at the centre. "Fantasy Pink Morn" is an AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner. Because of this AAS Award, bedding plants should be readily available in garden centres this spring.
| PETUNIA F1 HYBRID -- HEAVENLY LAVENDER |
Old fashioned double petunias are greatly improved with the introduction of "Heavenly Lavender" These plants present numerous, large 2 1/2 to 3 inch fully double blooms for all gardeners to admire. At one AAS trial site a visitor suggested it should be called "triple" rather than double flowered because of the number of petals. AAS judges noted this consistently double flower and gave "Heavenly Lavender" points for this improved quality. The pure lavender flower colour is unique because all comparisons have veins on the petals. "Heavenly Lavender" proved its superior performance in AAS Trials.
In the garden, "Heavenly Lavender" will perform best in a full sun location. The double flowers will be easily noticed when grown in a patio urn or window box which is closer to the admirer's eyes. Since "Heavenly Lavender" is an AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner, it should be widely available as a bedding plant in garden centres.
| SALVIA FARINACEA -- STRATA |
"Strata" plants contain all of the alluring qualities of Salvia farinacea with totally new bicolour blooms. The ten to twelve inch flower spike is white with small delicate blue flowers. From a distance the eye blends the two colours into a pastel blue, also a unique colour. Easy to grow in a sunny garden, "Strata" plants can attain a height of 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall when grown under favourable conditions. "S
